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Cranbrooke in Kent County England History and GeographyCRANBROOKE, a market town and parish in the hundred of CRANBROOKE, lathe of SCRAY, county of KENT, 14 miles (S. by E.) from Maidstone, and 48 (S.E. by E.) from London, containing 3683 inhabitants. This place, anciently called Crane-broke, derives its name from its situation upon a brook called the Crane. When the manufacture of woollen cloth was introduced into England by Edward III., it was principally carried on in the Weald of Kent, and Cranbrooke, situated in the centre of that district, became, and continued to be for centuries, a very flourishing town, and the principal seat of the clothing trade, by the removal of which into the counties of Gloucester and Somerset, within the last fifty years, the trading importance of this town has been almost annihilated. The town consists chiefly of one wide street, extending three quarters of a mile in length, from which a smaller street branches off at right angles: it is indifferently paved, and partially lighted, contains some well built, handsome houses, and is well supplied with water. The trade is now principally in hops which is carried on to a considerable extent. The market, formerly on Saturday, and considerable for corn, hops, &c., has, within the last few years, been altered to Wednesday; there is also a cattle market on every alternate Wednesday: the fairs are, May 30th and September 29th, for horses and cattle; the latter is also a great hop fair. The market-house, a neat octagonal building supported on double columns at the angles, and surmounted by a cupola, was erected by William Coleman, Esq., a great benefactor to the town. The living is a vicarage, in the archdeaconry and diocese of Canterbury, rated in the king's books at £19. 19. 4½., endowed with £200 private benefaction, and £1100 parliamentary grant, and in the patronage of the Archbishop of Canterbury. The church, dedicated to St. Dunstan, is a spacious handsome structure in the later style of English architecture, with a square embattled tower: in the year 1725, one of the columns giving way, a part of the church fell down; it was repaired at an expense of £2000. There are places of worship for Calvinistic Baptists, Huntingtonians, Independents, Wesleyan Methodists, and Unitarians. The free grammar school was founded in 1574, by Simon Lynch, Esq., and endowed by Queen Elizabeth with land producing at present about £140 per annum: the present income, augmented with subsequent benefactions, amounts to £300 per annum: the management is vested in thirteen trustees, including the vicar. A writing school was founded in 1573, by Mr. Alexander Dence, who endowed it with a house for the master, a school-room, and the interest of £160; of this sum, £60 was expended in the enlargement of the premises, the interest of the remainder only being available to the payment of the master, A National school for the instruction of an unlimited number of boys and girls is supported by subscription. In the hamlet of Milkhouse-street, in this parish, are the remains of an ancient chapel, dedicated to the Holy Trinity. There are several mineral springs in the parish, the properties of which are similar to those of Tunbridge Wells. Sir Richard Baker, author of the English Chronicles, was born in this parish, about the year 1568. The celebrated Willam Huntington, late minister of Providence chapel, Gray's Inn Lane, London, and founder of a sect called ';Huntingtonians,' holding high Calvanistic principles, was born at a place called ';the four wents,' in the parish of Cranbrooke. He died July 1st, 1813, aged 69, and was interred in the burial ground of Jireh chapel, Lewes, Sussex. He wrote and published no less than eighty-one separate works, most of which went through several editions during his life-time; and, added to six volumes of Letters, &c., published since his death, his works extend to thirty-four volumes 8vo. From Lewis's Topographical Dictionary of England 1831, courtesy of Databases 4 Sale |
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